After a year of feedback from tour staffers, the company updates its most successful putter line

By: Tom Cunneff

Studies have shown that the key to good putting is face angle at impact more than stroke path. And one of the keys to getting your putter square to the target line is head with a lot of stability, which is one of the main attributes of the Ghost Spider S. According to TaylorMade, it delivers a lot of MOI (moment of inertia), one that is dramatically higher than previous mallets in the company’s line thanks to the two jet engine-like rear weights. What that means is more forgiveness on off-center hits and more putts that find the hole.

Of course a good face angle at impact doesn’t do a lot of good if you’ve misaimed from the start, but the S is also easier to align than previous Spider versions because of the contrast between the black crown and the white leading edge. The 2.5-degree surlyn insert has a nice soft feel and the grooves help impart more roll and keep the ball from skidding. It also comes in both a face-balanced model for straight-back-and-through strokes and a 30 percent toe-down version for players who swing on an arc.

They say you can buy a long game, but not a short one. The Spider S just might disprove that bon mot.